Metal bottle carrier



April 18, 1933. V|GNO$ I 1,904,019

METAL BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Dec. 30, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l 9 I SnventorP1401 V/6/VO5 I f1 .4

(lttomegs I April 18, 1933. P. VIGNQS METAL BO' ITLE CARRIER 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30

3nnentor PA U L V/6/V05 Gttornegs April 18, 1933. P. VIGNOS METAL BOTTLECARRIER Filed Dec.

.3 Sheets-Sheet I5 ZSnnentor B 01 V/E/VOS (lttornegs Patented Apr. 18,1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

OF CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO mAL BOTTLE CARRIER Applicationfiled December 30, 1932. Serial No. 643,493.

This invention relates to carriers for glass bottles and the like and isparticularly concerned with such carriers constructed of sheet metal. I

Heretofore carriers for glass bottles and the like have been constructedof wood, usually in the shape of boxes, and sometimr 3 provided withcovers and other times having open tops. Separators'of various typeshave been employed, including wire racks or cardboard partitions. Thesewooden carriers occupy considerable "space, require frequent cleaning,but even then cannot be preserved in a fully sanitary condition,particularly after the contents of one or more of the bottles has beenspilled in the carrier, as often occurs due to breakage of the bottles.If the wooden carriers are once stained they retain the stainpermanently. Moreover, these wooden carriers are held together withnails and usually with thin narrow binding strips of metal tacked ornailed in place. When covers are used, the hinges are held on by tacksor nails. Handling such carriers loosens the nails and tacks and wearsthrough the metal binding strips so that the maintenance costs are highand there is the attendant danger of injury, such as cuts and the liketo those handling the carriers.

Eflorts have been made to replace these wooden carriers with carrierscomposed of fiberboard and the like, as well as by sheet metal. Theberboard carriers were not entirely acceptable because they could not beused to return the empty bottles which thus accumulated in the hands ofthe purchaser.

The sheet metal carriers proposed and tried were made of heavy metal, sothat they weighed considerably more than the wooden carriers, were ofmuch the same volume, and while free from the heavy maintenance costs ofthe wooden carriers were unsatisfactory because of the large amount ofbreakage of bottles incurred when they were used. They were more costlyto make and increased the freight charges.

According to the present invention. I have provided a carrier forbottles and like containers which are liable to breakage in transit,which carrier is of greater strength. and

occupies at least 23% less space than the wooden carriers, is lighterthan a wooden carrier of the same strength, can be kept clean andsanitary, requires little, if any, maintenance cost, and is capable oftransporting glass bottles and similar fragile containers with abreakage loss favorably comparable with that of the wooden carriers.

My invention briefly comprehends a sheetmetal carrier which may beprovided with a cover if desired, and which has indented flexibleportions preferably in the side, end and bottom walls which afl'ord fiatsurfaces disposed to contact with the sides and bottoms of the bottlesor similar containers. These portions being flexible, absorb in a largemeasure exteriorly applied shocks, so that the shocks are nottransmitted directly to the bottles and in this manner breakage islargely prevented. Where covers are provided for the carriers, outwardlybent flexible portions may be provided adjacent to the tops of thebottles, since the bottle top will be cushioned against shocks by reasonof the cap and the gasket. The carrier may be stiffened and strengthenedas will be hereinafter pointed out, so that relatively thin sheet metalmay be used in constructiong the carrier without sacrifice of strengthand with attendant lightness of weight.

Still other advantages of the invention and the invention itself-willbecome more apparent from the following description of one embodimentthereof which, together with the accompanying drawings, form a. part ofthis specification.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a bottle carrier of my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken-from a plane onthe line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating the lid in a raisedposition;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a stamping used to form the side walls andbottom of the carrier of my invention;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a stamping used to form the end wall thereof;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a stamping used to form the lid;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 88, Figure 1,showing the carrier with the position taken by itscontents indicated bydotted lines;

Figure 9 is a vertical medial sectional view taken on the line 99 ofFigure 2;

Figure 10 is an elevational view of the latch used; and

Figure 11 is a plan view of the device with the lid in an open position.

As best shown in Figure 5 the side walls and bottom may be formed of asingle sheet of metal which may be a stamping. It is provided withsuitable marginal portions such as 3 and 5 which may be later folded asindicated by the dotted lines 6 and 7 to provide the ultimate box-likestructure. The sheet material is formed to provide a plurality. ofpanels 8 on the side walls and bottom and which, when the sides arefolded into their ultimate form, extend inwardly from the surfaces ofthe container as illustrated in Figure 8. The panels are'preferablyarranged in spaced parallel relation to each other extending verticallyon the sides 10 and transversely across the bottom 11.

Suitable apertures may be provided in the bottom of the container fordrainage purposes.

An end wall 12 is likewise provided, and has panels of a. similarnature. The stamping is provided with marginal portions 13 and 14 alongthe top and sides respectively.

The portion 13 may be folded along the dotted lines 15 for forming theangular top reinforcement. The portions 14 are also folded at 15' toform an angular portion which may be finally secured in place inside theside walls by spot welding.

The margin portions 5 on the side walls and bottom 10 and 11 are adaptedto be folded along the dotted lines 7 at right angles to form portionswhich overlap a portion of the end wall and are secured thereto by spotwelding or the like.

The upper marginal portions 3 and 13 of the side and end walls arefolded, as indicated by the dotted lines 7 and 15, backward uponthemselves (Figure 3) to provide a continuous angular reinforcing member21 along the entire free edge of the container. The corners being weldedat 21' to form an integral construction all around the free upper edgeof the container.

A lid (Figure 7) may be provided for the container and is formed bystamping in a manner similar to that described for the sides and ends;It is adapted to be secured to the side of the container by a piano typehinge 23 which permits the lid to lie close upon the top edges of thecontainer and to swing downward against the side when open. Downwardlyextending continuous flanges 24 and 25 are formed, during the stamping,on the side and ends of the lid and are adapted to encompass the topedge of the container. The lid is provided with a large inwardlyextending rectangular panel 28 which panel in turn is provided withoutwardly extending panels 26. The large panel '3 28 provides an annularchannel 29 extending around the lid adjacent the edge adapted to confinethe free angular edge 21 of the container when closed. Ihe panels 26also extend transversely across the lid and are adapted to engage thetops of the bottles which are thus allowed to extend above the surfaceof the large panel 28 but still remain slightly below the border portion29 which surrounds the large panel 28 as best shown in Figure 3.

A locking and sealing means is provided for lockingthe lid of thecontainer and sealing the same and comprises generally a latch andkeeper secured to the side wa l and lid respectively. The latch includesa generally U shaped member having legs 30 and 31 and an angular guide32 provided with an aperture 33 through which the leg 31 may extend. Theleg 31 is formed near its end to provide a latch 34. The guide 32 issecured to the side wall by spot welding and is provided with reverselyturned lugs 32 which are folded about and embrace the leg 30 of thelatch at the notched portions 30 to securely hold the same.

The leg 31 is provided with shoulders 31 adapted to engage the undersideof the guide 32 so that when pressure of the keeper against the latch isexerted, such as an attempt to open the box without releasing the latch,the pressure set up is not transmitted to the spring to consequentlydeform the same but is absorbed by the shoulders impinging against theguide and is transmitted thereto.

The keeper which is adapted to cooperate with the latch may be spotwelded to the lid and comprises an angular member 36 having a downwardlyextending keeper 37 adapte for en agement with the latch 34. The lid isprovi ed with a depressed longitudinal zone 40, as best shown in Figures4 and 7, and has a pair of apertures 41 and 42 formed therein. The endsof the zone 40 curve upward at 43 and 44 to gradually merge with thesurface of the panel portion 28. The keeper 36 is provided with a tongue45 which extends upward through the aperture 41 and is itself providedwith an aperture 46 which is in substantially axial alignment with theaxis of the zone 40. The latch 34 is provided with an angular operatingportion 47 adapted to extend through the aperture 42 in the zone 40 whenthe lid is closed. An aperture 48 is also provided in the latch which isin axial alignment with the zone 40 and aperture 46 of the tongue 45.

One side of the containermay be provided to receive a suitableadvertising label, em ossing, or the like. The end walls may be providedwith hand holes 17 formed by punching apertures in the end walls androlling the free edges of the material as shown in Figure 9 or byforming the same about a suitable reinforcing wire to provide a smoothsurface which permits the carrier to be readily handled without cuttingthe fingers.

The inwardly extending panels on the sides, ends and bottoms are sodesigned and positioned relative to each other that bottles,

when placed in the container (Figure 8) may stand upon the transversebottom panels and the outer row of bottles contact the vert1cal sidepanels. The corner bottles being engaged by the inwardly projectingpanels 8 on the side and the inwardly pro ecting panels 9 on the ends. Asuitable separator, of. corrugated paper or the like 50, may be providedto space the bottles, 51, om each other.

In operation when bottles or the like are placed in the carrier, thebottles of the outer row are adapted to be engaged by the inwardlydepressed panels. The bottles intermediate the outer rows and thebottles in the outer rows are supported in spaced relation to each otherby a suitable fiber or corrugated paper spacing means, or the like, asshown in Figure 8. The tops of the bottles are adapted to contact withthe upwardly projected panels 26of the lid when the lid is closed.

In closing the lidthe keeper 37 engages the end 47 of the latch memberexerting a camming action thereon and springs the latch member laterallyto the left as shown in Figure 4 until the keeper falls below the latchportion 34 and is engaged thereby. In this position the lid of thecontainer islocked, but

may be released by pressing the end 47 of the latch member to the left,as viewed in Figures 3 and 4, to disengage the latch 34 from the keeper37. It is to be noted that the operating portion 47 of the latch and thetongue 45 of the keeper do not extend above the surface of the lidsurrounding the depressed zone, thus providing a means for opening thebox from the outside but at the same time not presenting any surfaceswhich are liable to catch upon extraneous objects and permitting thecarriers to be readily stacked.

The position and operation of the latch is such that the latch may bereleased and the lid opened in one movement by grasping the latch andlid between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. This makesitunnecessary to release the latch with one hand and open the lid with theother. e

The depressed zone is so formed that the longitudinal axes of the zoneand the apertures in the tongue of the keeper and in the end of thelatch are all in axial alignment with each other. This rmits a sealingwire to be quickly and readily apertures to seal the latch if so desiredto prevent the container from being opened without breaking the seal.

The panel construction of the sides and bottom provides a plurality ofresilient surfaces upon and against which the bottles rest andbeing'inwardly disposed resiliently support the bottles against shock.The panels lying below the exterior surface also are less liable tocontact with extraneous objects; contact with extraneous objects beingby the material of the carrier intermediate the panels.

Although the embodiment shown and described contemplates a lid it isalso within the purview of the invention to provide cases ofthisconstruction without lids and it is not the applicants intention to solimit the device.

Havin thus described my invention so that others skllled in the art maybe able to practice the same, what I desire to secure by Let ters Patentis defined in what is'claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like, comprising anenclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedly secured tothe container, a lock for said lid comprising a spring latch secured tothe side wall and a keeper secured to the lid, said lid being formed toprovide an aperture therein above the keeper, said latch having a tongueadapted to extend through the aperture to permit release of the latch.

2. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising anenclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedly secured tothe container, a lock for said lid including a spring latch secured tothe side wall and a keeper secured to the lid, said lid guided throughthebeing formed to provide an opening in the lid above the keeper, saidlatch provided with a tongue adapted to extend through the openin forreleasing the latch and means in said 1i and latch to permit the same tobe sealed.

3. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprisingan'enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedly securedto the container, a lock for said lid, a spring latch secured to a wall,a keeper on the lid; said lid formed to provide an inwardly depressedzone adjacent the latch and keeper, and openings in the bottom of saidzone; a tongue on the latch adapted to extend through said opening andbelow the surface of the lid surrounding the zone for releasing thelatch.

4. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like, comprising arectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedlysecured to the container, a lock for said lid including a spring latchsecured to a wall, a keeper on the lid for said latch said lid formed toprovide an inwardly depressed zone adjacent the keeper and openingsabove the keeper;'said keeper having an apertured tongue extendingthrough one of the openings into the depressed zone, an apertured tongueon the latch for releasing the latch, the apertures in the latch andkeeper being aligned to permit the same to be sealed.

5. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising arectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedlysecured to the container, means to lock and seal said lid comprising aspring .latch secured to the container wall, a keeper for the latchsecured to the lid; said lid being formed to provide a longitudinallydepressed zone with a plurality of apertures therein above the keeper;said keeper provided with an apertured tongue extendingthrough one ofsaid apertures into said zone below the surface of the lid surroundingsaid zone, said latch being provided with an apertured extension adaptedto extend through another aperture into said depressed zone below thesurface surrounding the zone in alignment with the keeper tongue andadapted to permit the lat' h to be sealed to the keeper tongue.

6. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like, comprising an"enclosure having side and end walls and a bottom, a lid for theenclosure hingedly secured thereto, means for locking and sealing thelid of the container comprising a metallic latch of U shapedconformation having one leg of the U adapted to be secured to thecontainer wall, the other le of the latch extending upwardly andprovided with a latching member, a keeper for engagement with thelatching member; said lid being formed to provide a longitudinalinwardly depressed zone with apertures therein, said keeper beingsecured to the lid at said zone and being provided with an aperturedtongue extending through the lid in axial alignment with said zone belowthe surface of the lid surrounding the zone, said latching memberprovided wit-h an apertured extension extending through the otheraperture in said zone in axial alignment with the keeper tongue andbelow the surface of the lid surrounding the zone and adapted to besealed to the tongue of the keeper. p

7. In a sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising arectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls,

the material of said walls being formed to provide a plurality ofregularly spaced inwardly depressed resilient panels adapted to contactwith the contents of the container, the space adjacent said panelsadapted to contact with objects exteriorly of the container; a lid forthe container hingedly secured thereto and provided with a plurality ofoutwardly displaced resilient panels adapted for contact with thecontents of the container, said free edges of the side walls terminatmgin an angular reinforcement formed by folding the free edge backwardupon itself; a lock for locking and sealing the lid of the containersheet comprising a U shaped latch having one le welded to the containerwall and the other ree leg extending upwardly and provided with a catch,a keeper for the catch secured to the lid; said lid being formed toprovide an inwardly depressed longitudinal zone having a plurality ofapertures being disposed above the keeper and latch; said keeper havingan apertured tongue extending through one of said apertures into saidzone and below the surface of the lid surrounding said zone, saidaperture being in axial alignment with said zone, said latch beingprovided with an apertured extension extending through the otheraperture in alignment with said tongue and adapted to release or providemeans whereby said latch may be sealed shut.

8. In a sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising arectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls,

the material of said walls being formed to provide a plurality ofregularly spaced inwardly depressed resilient panels adapted to contactwith the contents of the container, the space adjacent said panelsadapted to contact with objects exteriorly of the container; a lid forthe container hingedly secured thereto and provided with a plurality ofoutwardly displaced resilient panels adapted for contact with thecontents of the container, said free edges of the side walls terminatingin an angular reinforcement formed by folding the free edge backwardupon itself, a lock for locking and sealing the lid of the containercomprising a U shaped latch having one leg welded to the container walland the other free leg extending upwardly and provided with a catch, akeeper for the catch secured to the lid; said lid being formed toprovide an inwardly depressed longitudinal zone having a plurality ofapertures and being disposed above the keeper and latch; said keeperhaving an apertured tongue extending through .one of said apertures intosaid zone and below the surface of the lid surrounding said zone, saidaperture being in axial align ment with said zone, said latch beingrovided with an apertured extension exten ing through the other aperturein alignment with said tongue; said zone adapted to provide a guidewaywhereby a sealing means may be easily inserted through the apertures insaid tongue and latch to seal the container sheet.

9. In a sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising arectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, the material ofsaid walls being indented to form a plurality of regularly spaced fiatcushioning surfaces adapted to contact with the bottles in thecontainer, a portion intermediate the indented portion lying fiush withthe surface of the container and adapted for contact with extraneous.objects, a lid for the container hingedly secured thereto and beingformed to provide a channeled portion adjacent the edge thereof adaptedto embrace the free edge ofthe container when in a closed position.

10. In a sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprisinga rectangular enclosure having side. end and bottom walls,the materialof said walls being formed to provide a plurality of regularly spacedinwardly depressed resilient panels adapted to contact with the contentsof the container, the space adjacent said panels adapted to contact withobjects exteriorly of the container; a'lid for the container hingedlysecured thereto and provided with a plurality of outwardly displacedresilient panels adapted for-contact with the contents of the container,and an annular channel adjacent the edge, said free edges of the sidewalls terminating in an angular reinforcement formed by folding the freeedge backward upon itself and adapted to be embraced by said annularchannel, a lock for locking and sealing thelid of the containercomprising a U shaped latch having one leg welded to the container walland thezone and below the surface of the lid sur-- rounding said zone,said aperture being in axial alignment with said zone, said latch beingprovided with an apertured extenslon extending through the otherapertures in alignment with said tongue; said zone adapts ed to providea guideway whereby a sealing means may be easily inserted through theapertures in said tongue and latch to seal the container sheet.

11. A light weight, substantially non-racking sheet metal shipping casefor glass bottles and the like comprising connected side, end and bottomwalls and provided with stiffening means extending around the open endof the case, and a cover for the case overlapping- 1y engaging thewalls, the bottom wall having indented cushioning panels extendingthereacross and formed with flat resilient surfaces,

. each positioned to contact with the bottoms of a row of bottles in thecase, the side and end walls having panels formed with resilientsurfaces positioned to contact with the bottles in the case.

12. A light weight substantially non-racking sheet metal shipping casefor glass bottles and the like comprising connected side, end and bottomwalls provided with stiffening formed with flat resilient surfacespositioned to contact each with the side of a bottle in the case, andthe cover having indented panels extending thereacross and eachpositioned out of normal contact with bottles resting on the said flatsurfaces of the bottom wall.

13. A light weight substantially non-racking sheet metal shipping casefor glass bottles and the like comprising connected side,

end and bottom walls provided with stiflening means extending around theopen end of 'the case, and a cover hinged to one wall of the case andoverlappingly engaging opposite sides of the stiffening means at theopen end of the case, the bottom wall having indented cushioning panelsextending thereacross and formed with flat resilient surfaces, eachpositioned tocontact with the bottoms of a row of bottles in the case,the side and end walls having indented vertical cushioning panels formedwith fiat resilient surfaces positioned to contact each with the side ofa bottle in the case, and the cover having indented panels extendingthereacross and each positioned out of normal contact with bottlesresting on the said fiat surfaces of the bottom wa 14. A light weightsubstantially non-racking sheet metal shipping case for glass bottlesand the like including side,'end and bottom walls, stiffening meansextending around the open end of said case and a cover for the caseformed to provide a channeled portion adjacent the edge of the coveradapted to engage the side and end walls, said bottom wall havingindented cushioning panels extending thereacross and formed with fiatresilient surfaces positioned to contact with the bottoms of rows ofbottles in the case, the side and end walls having cushioning panelspositioned to contact with the bottles in the case.

15. A light weight, substantially non-racking, sheet metal shipping casefor glass bottles and the like including side, end and bottom walls,stiffening means extending around the case at its open end, a cover forthe case having a wall adapted to engage the inner periphery ofsubstantially the entire open end of the case, a flange on three sidesof the cover to engage the outside of the case, a hinge member on theoutside of the fourth side of the case extending substantially theentire length of said side and hinged to the cover, said bottom wallhaving cushioning panels extending thereacross and formed with flatresilient surfaces positioned to contact with the bottoms of rows ofbottles in the case, the side and end walls having cushioning panels,formed with flat surfaces positioned to contact with the outer rows ofbottles in the case. 5 In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix mysignature this 20th day of December, 1932.

PAUL VIGNOS.

